ztirual
1269
Thank you, Nicolas
Apr 10, 2014,16:32 PM
I sense some emotions... JLC could have done better. I won't drive the knife deeper into the flesh.
To issue a correct re-edition, worse a tribute watch is in my opinion mission impossible.
Your know my passion for vintage Longines and my interest for Omega and Rolex to name but a few...
Imho, even Rolex, once expert at keeping making tributes of their own watches -even if they do not call them such, that is really what they were good at doing- for me have more or less lost the plot. I feel that something has definetely gone wrong when considering their current offering combining, crystal glass, signed rehaut, ever increasing lumes, hands and cases... Bling bling bling. The latest reissue by Eberhard & Co of their iconic Scafograph is not without parallel with this issue of the new Geophysic. A watch that has most of the look of the original watch but there, also, the movement cannot compare in terms of quality and originality with the original movement. Longines have shown at Basel their intent of making an hommage to the Majetek and to the Flagship model. Whilst there is much to be lauded in their efforts made for the case, for me the watches are a nonsense because Longines have ignored the particularities and the qualities of their original movements. They have equiped them with ETA movements. Of all of the many reissues revealed at Basel I feel it is Omega that have made the most commendable effort with the issue of their Seamaster Master Co-axial . In my opinion Not because of the look of their watch but, just as Rolex used to do up to fairly recently, Omega has not only managed to keep to the essence of the watch in terms of esthetics and function, but heir have surpassed it by adding the benefits of their latest research. And they have managed to do this inside out, ie. both externally with their new type of bezel, but also inside the watch with their new 15.000 Gauss anti-magnetic and co-axial movement. Ironically, whilst I was initially drawn by this watch because of its connection with the original SM300, alias ref. 2913 or the iteration that follow immediately after and that you know so well, this very ressemblance is what we probably keeps me away from wanting to buy it when it will come out. Maybe I am alone on this one, but I feel that buying copies of old watches is just plain naf. In this case, just as with this tribute to Geophysic, the artificial toning of the lumes that are meant to make them more vintage-looking is really that turned me off. I am now much more likely to buy this very same watch in a non-vintage version. That, for me, would be the ultimate tribute to the original SM300. I get back where I started. I am lrobably not much of tribute watch type of guy, at least not in the now normal acception of the term.
You ask me a couple of slightly uncomfortable questions about the current line of JLC. I must admit that I have passed and stopped in front of their shop windows but I have never been irrisistably drawn to come inside. I like some of their simple watches but what I read and hear here and there about the technique (or lack of it) used for bluing some hands, about heir finishing and the like, and this means that tend to be confused. Confusion is never a very good adviser when it comes to purchasing watches. Though I can see the attraction of some of the Duometre. I like some more than others. As you know, I have a special weakness for chronometres and chronographs, so I imagine I could easily have chosen to get one of those nice Duometres.... But I haven't, probably because "choisir c'est renoncer", in other terms you cannot simply get them all. As you know there are so many fantastic watches in the vintage world. Who knows, maybe in the future?
AmitiƩs